Improvement in machines for making horseshoe-nails



"No. 41,955. Patented Mmh'15, 1864.

I M. n. WHIPPLE.

Horsehoe Nail Machine.

UNITED STATES 1 ATENT OF ICE.

MILTOND. WHIPPLE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,955, dated March 15, 1864.

companying drawings, making part of this' specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a section through the rolls which flatten the blank, showing the adjustable die V W Fig. 3, an enlarged section through the dies of one of the pairs of vibrating levers; Fig. 4, an enlarged section of the dies V W detached, Fig. 5, a view of the blank which I employ.

The object of my invention is to produce a finished horseshoe-nail from a blank made for the purpose, which blank forms the subject of another application for Letters Patent; and my invention consists in passing this blank between a series of vibrating levers provided with dies, by which means the shank is drawn down to a point, after which the blank is flattened by passing between a pair of rolls furnished with dies of a suitable form, thus producing a horseshoe nail of good quality more expeditiously and at a much less cost than any machine with which I am acquainted.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the bed of the machine, in suitable bearings, in which runs the driving-shaft B, to which are attached the driving-pulley O and loose pulley D, in the customary manner.

E F are two crank-wheels secured to the opposite ends of the driving-shaft B, to the crank-pins of which-are secured the connecting-rods G and H, which are connected to and vibrate the levers I J, pivoted at b c to arms projecting from a heavy standard, K, rising from the bed A. From the standard K project at right angles to each other the arms (1, to which are pivoted the levers L M N O, the shorter arms of which are made in the form of segments. These levers are arranged in pairs beneatheaoh other, and each pair at right angles to that immediately above it, and

between the jaws of these segments the blank 1 passes successively for the purpose of drawing down the shank to a point.

. In the drawings I have shown four pairs of vibrating levers only, but in practice I use about ten pairs. Anyrequired'number, however, may be used. The greater the number employed the more gradually and perfectly will the shank be drawn down to a point. The distance between the jaws of each pair of these levers is adjusted by means of a screw, 8, in each arm d.

The longer arms of the levers L M N O are connected together by rods 6 f oh, and to the levers L M are attached the connecting-rods 11 k l m, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the blocks P Q, pivoted to the shorter arms of the levers I J.

The'crank-pins 011 the wheels E F are set so that the levers-L N, which are actuated by the lever I, will be raised, while those M O, which vibrate in a plane at right angles th ereto, and are actuated by the lever J, are descending, by which means as the blank passes through the first pair of vibrating jaws those immediately beneath will be open to receive it, and so on throughout the whole series of levers, each pair being vibrated into the proper position to receive the blank as it falls from the pair next above. series of vibrating levers L M N 0, has set into it a steel block or die,(seen in section enlarged in Fig. 3,) in which is formed a recess, 6, corresponding to the shape of one-half of the blank n, Fig. 5. This recess is so formed as to receive the blank cornerwise, with its head downward, as shown enlarged in Fig. 3, and that part of it corresponding to the shank of the nail is made gradually smaller in each pair of dies, being smallest in the lowest pair, by which means the shank is graduallydrawn down to a point as it passes successively through the several pairs of jaws, while the size and shape of the head remain unchanged. These dies may be set into the levers with springs behind them, so as to give them aslight degree of elasticity to insure the holding of the blank in case it should be thinner in some places than others. The blank is fed into the tunnel 0, head downward, the upper pair of jaws being wide open to receive it, and it descends until the head falls into the cavity in the dies made to receive it, (see Fig. 3,) when the jaws are, vibrated and the shank receives Each of the jaws of the i a slight elongation from the dies. The blank is then discharged into the tunnel 1), through which it passes to the next pair oflevers, M, where the operation is repeated, a fresh blank in the meantime having been fed into the upper pair of jaws, L. The blanks are thus passed successively from one pair of jaws to thatimmediately beneath, each pair being in a position to receive the blank as it drops from the pair above, and when the blank has passed through the last pair it will be drawn down to a point as required.

It now remains to describe the manner in which the blank is flattened after the shank has been drawn down, as above described. It S are two rolls having their hearings in the bed A. To the outer end of the shaft ot'thc roll R is secured the crank T, which is connected with the crank pin on the wheel E by the rod U, and the roll S is connected in a similar manner to the wheel F, by which means as the wheels E F are ievolved a vibrating mo tion is imparted to the rolls R and S, as required.

Instead of both of the rolls R and S being vibrated by cranks androds, as shown, they may be connected together by gears, and one only be vibrated by the driving shaft.

The blank, after passing through the last pair of jaws,(), drops into the tunnel q, through which it passes to the rolls It S. These rolls are provided on their inner faces with remov' able steel blocks or dies V XV, (see Fig. 2, and enlarged in Fig. 4,) in one of which is cut a recess, 7, of the form shown in the drawings. The blank is arrested as it falls by the head striking the bottom of the recess 7, (therolls being in the proper position to receive it,) and as the rolls are vibrated in the opposite direction the blank is flattened and discharged into a receptacle beneath, which completes the operation.

The form of the recess 7 in the block V, in

connection with the face of the blockW, causes the nail to be flattened without a taper on the side next to the block W, which is the form preferred for the finished nails. The dies V W are made adjustable in the rolls R S by means of the screws 0" s, and are held in place by the screws t, so that their faces can be moved toward or from each other in order to flatten the nail more or less, as may be desired.

Instead of the blank being flattened by the rolls R and S, the lowest pair of the series of vibrating levers may be employed for this purpose, being provided with dies similar to those used in the rolls R S. I prefer, however, to use the rolls, as the operation of flattening the blank requires the parts to be of great strength, which I attain by the employment of the rolls. 7 V

It is obvious that the mechanism employed for vibrating the levers and rolls and their connections may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The drawing process to which the metal is subjected in the above-described machine condenses itand produces a nail of superior quality and toughness. i

Vtghat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The series of pairs of vibrating levers L M N 0, each pair in the series operating at right angles to the next preceding pair, and

provided with dies for swaging the substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the above blank, M

series of levers and dies, flattening and finishing the a nail by passing it between the rolls R and S, as described. 

